Saturday, May 18, 2013

Game 43: Nats at Padres

Photo by USA Today

Though it took extra innings last night, the Nationals beat the Padres for their second straight win and will now look for three in a row with Jordan Zimmermann on the mound. The Nats' right-hander leads the majors in wins with seven and will look for his eighth against a club he has had success against in the past. Zimmermann has started three games against San Diego, holding a 1.42 ERA across 19 innings pitched. He has taken the mound twice at Petco Park, going 1-0 with a 0.69 mark.

Pitching for the Padres will be 33-year-old lefthander Eric Stults. Stults split time with the White Sox and Padres last year and posted a 2.91 ERA through 99 innings. This year, however, he has struggled with a 4.57 mark in eight starts.

Stults will be making his first career start against the Nationals. The only two Nats that have faced him in their career are Dan Haren and Adam LaRoche. LaRoche is in the lineup tonight and is 0-for-2 against the lefty in two plate appearances.

One standout of the Nats' lineup is the absence of Bryce Harper, reports out of San Diego say it's due to a sore left knee.

Kilgore reports Bryce's knee sore- 2 days rest to be ready for SF. Also clear MRI of abdomen. Can we please keep this guy healthy for a while?? While I love JZ on the mound, I don't like a line up without Bryce or Jayson.

Love JZ on the mound, hate the lineup without Bryce or Jayson. I have to say, though, I have noticed the last few games the other team has more hits than we do or the same, when we are winning. I guess you don't need quantity as long as they are quality, bunched together, or clutch.

So, reading thru prior posts, lots of chatter about sending Espinosa down or away, moving RZ to second, calling up Rendon to play either 2B or 3B, trading ALR so Zimm can play 1st, etc. If taken to the logical extreme, though, you still end up a player short (probably a second baseman). Who - asking those of you who follow the minors and Nats keep a close eye on prospects - would play 2nd in the event next season's infield included RZ at 1st, Desi at SS, and Rendon at 3B? Is there a 2B in the pipeline ready to move up? Lombardozzi (please don't)?

Werth has been to NY and Chicago, Det has had three MRI's, Bryce an abdominal MRI and concussion tests. Would you like to keep complaining that these guys never get diagnosed correctly? I am quite ok with the caution. Coming back too early just does not work. Both Werth and Det worry me, though, because they do not seem to be clear, simple things.

Chiefs picked up a new catcher to replace Solano via a Rizzo trade. Brian Jeroloman. This guy is at least a lot younger than Maldonado. He's a defensive catcher ... what makes him unique? He features a left-handed bat.

Duke has at least as much experience as Chris Young as a starter. He led the Chiefs AAA rotation last season. Just the polar opposite for Chris Young this season. And there is Stammen to come in for him.

Although I would rather see Stammen get the start, and I think he deserves it, he is probably more valuable to the team if we don't use him up all in one game and then lose him altogether for days at a time. Maybe Duke will just pitch better when he knows when he will be pitching and can be mentally prepared to start a game.

Chief's outfielder Chris Rahl an All Star in AA 2 or 3 seasons. Offense, defense, speed. Have to wonder why he never gets a shot to make a major league roster? Right now he has an 11-game hitting streak and he's a clutch hitter with men on base.

ATL bullpen: O’Flaherty will join Jonny Venters, Jordan Walden, Luis Ayala and Cristhian Martinez on the disabled list. Venters is done for the season after Tommy John surgery while Walden was just placed on the disabled list yesterday. Meanwhile, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that neither Ayala nor Martinez are close to returning.

By ready, I mean when Rizzo admits he was wrong about Espy and gets Rendon playing every day at 2nd base.

Rendon is still at third base almost exclusively with former Owls teammate and prospect Ricky Hague at second. He's not playing second and if he were to play it regularly it will wait until he gets promoted to AAA Syracuse just as they did with Espinosa.

I don't think Espinosa is going anywhere. His glove is way too good for starters. Best to get used to it and stop honking like a goose.

One more thing about Espi( yeah, sure), he plays good defense, he has a cannon, which is actually not necessary at second. We don't need someone out there who wins a gold glove and can't hit a lick. We need someone who makes the plays, turns the dp's , gets it over to Adam. AND hits somewhere above the Mendoza line. Even 240 would suffice. I don't care how good his defense looks, they cannot keep him there if this continues. Something will have to give.

Got to see the Nats game Thursday night at Petco Park while in San Diego. Three observations to share.

1. I was pleasently surprised by the number of people I saw wearing Nationals hats, tee shirts, etc. Would expect to see that in cities along the east coast but I wasn't expecting to see them in SoCal.

2. In between innings I noticed that Strasburg would warm up with usually his last 2 or 3 pitches coming out of the stretch. I haven't seen that before and was wondering if this is common practice or not. Keep in mind that I don't get to many MLB games any more due to living in east Tennessee and not travelling a whole lot.

3. Harper was playing LF that night and again, in between innings he warmed up with the Padres ball girl who was stationed on the third base line. She had a good strong arm and threw with accuracy. Something our current third baseman does not do.

BTW - did anyone see Ray Knight's piece on ALR's adjustment with his right shoulder, apparently made after consulting with Chipper? Seems like that would be something your hitting instructor would be able to help you with,would it not?

I loved Boswell's article this morning -- he's finally telling it the way it REALLY IS. Also like how Boswell finally admitted the Morse release was a BAD move and to trade LaRoche and "cut their losses." All true. Rizzo weakened this team beyond repair this winter. If I were a Lerner, the little genius would be gone.

Mick, did you read Boswell this morning? he said Espi isn't just going bad -- he has been going bad since 2011. Boswell was wondering if This is All there is to Espi. It would appear this is it.Espi is 1 for his last 22 and isn't even hitting my weight -- let alone his.

Since they've become "big winners" and there is less need for a change ... so-to-speak ... or are their fewer astute posters?

I've found it somewhat interesting to note that no one came out and saw a potential big-time future starter closing the game last night? By adding the killer change-up to his other pitches Storen now appears to be more than viable as a possible 200 inning a year starter as opposed to a back-end reliever to burn out in a few.

Espi is terrible and what is it that Davey sees in him that no other MLB manager does??

Bah, so was Timmy Cullen, so was Dave Nelson, so were so many that attempted to play that position before Espy. Yes, I will take Espy over Guzman. Why? Because I am certain that by putting Espy in at short or second instead of what the terrible expansion team had and the terrible team major league baseball moved here you would get back at least 10 games just because of the glove!

The guy's glove is friggin' amazing! He has ungodly range and he makes difficult plays look easy. His problem as Natsjack astutely observed: His head. He works too hard. It sounds like he is making his hands bleed practicing in the batting cage. He takes this very personally and very seriously. Its why Zim called him intense.

Perhaps he is too "intense"? Perhaps to hit one needs to relax more and let your instincts and intuition have a bit of the driver's seat?

Hell yes he stays. He isn't going anywhere. He might go to Syracuse. He might end up on the bench. The guy is tough enough to hide any kind of injury.. I do believe he could effectively hide a broken bone! Either way he isn't going anywhere.

Oh and Peric -- even horrible Tim Cullen hit above the Mendoza line. No major league team can win with a second baseman hitting .165. No major league team can win with a third baseman and SS leading the entire Majors in Errors.

And guess what, Peric, we got all three. You better stop your preaching, old dude.

I do find it interesting that Davey is proving he cant manage his way out of a paper bag. Only thing keeping this Blimp up is our stellar pitching. I am amazed at the dumb moves and non-moves old Davey has made (and not made) this season.

Zach Duke is awful, it's true. But losing Stammen for multiple games could hurt worse. If he gets blown up again, maybe he'll get DFAed, which would be no shame. And SF's Vogelsong has also been pretty hittable so there's at least a chance.

If Zimmerman had any honor at all, he would admit that he can no longer play his defensive position and ask the club to cut his contract down to size -- I might respect him a little bit by doing that -- but of course -- that is pure fantasy

If Zimmerman had any honor at all, he would admit that he can no longer play his defensive position and ask the club to cut his contract down to size -- I might respect him a little bit by doing that -- but of course -- that is pure fantasy"

Pure fantasy. Hes laughing all the way to the bank. His defensive game is mostly bad except those balls he has to charge. When a guy wont even put his body in front of a ball you have to wonder how far his dedication goes.

Then he has that smug attitude like hes the man. Sure you were for a few years.

Post a Comment

About the Author

Mark Zuckerman has covered the Nationals since the franchise arrived in D.C. He's been a member of the Baseball Writers' Association of America since 2001 and is a Hall of Fame voter. Email mzuckerman@comcastsportsnet.com.